Field of Invention
The present invention is generally related to a pedal assembly of a vehicle, and, more particularly, a pedal assembly having a mechanism for reducing injury to a driver during or after a collision or impact.
Description of Related Art
A pedal, such as a brake pedal, is mounted to a dash panel in a vehicle so as to provide a driver easy access and manipulation via his/her foot. However, in case of impact, the brake pedal may potentially cause damage to the driver's lower extremities, including the foot, ankle, shin, and/or knee, particularly when the driver is pushed forward toward the front of the vehicle via inertia and other forces. Thus, the ability to decouple pedals from the dash panel has been developed.
Generally, devices or assemblies for moving or decoupling a pedal in a vehicle are known in the art. Some current methods rely on a large number of parts to perform this function. Also, some current methods provide methods for breaking a connection of the pedal to the vehicle. However, these methods generally describe breaking a joint to the extent that the pedal will not function after the crash. Rendering a pedal assembly inoperable is inconvenient and costly to a driver.
FR Patent 2841011 illustrates an example of a pedal decoupler as known in the art with a releasable connection that may be released on vehicle impact. The FR 2841011 design includes a cable which requires tension to activate the crash feature, yet must remain slacked to ensure proper operation during typical pedal use. Such a design increases the possibility that the cable could get caught, or foul on something under the dash, thus preventing the system from functioning or engaging at an inopportune time.
Additionally, because the cable requires such tension for activation, the FR '011 patent is limited as to where a location for mounting can be placed in the vehicle. Prior art designs of such pedal assemblies may be limited in their locations for mounting due to the number of parts required for assembly, or due to inefficient design (e.g., some designs must be placed above and/or forward of the pedal assembly). For example, such pedal assemblies, such as that shown in FR 2841011, may require a substantial number of parts and devices, which in turn may require some clearance with regard to other parts in order to prevent the parts/devices from jamming in the event of a crash.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,987,743 B2, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety and is assigned to the same assignee as the present application, illustrates an example of another pedal decoupler system.